REVIEW: Burger King California Whopper

Burger King California Whopper

The Burger King California Whopper is not a new product.

In the United States, it’s been available exclusively at BK Whopper Bars since 2009 (Warning: Automatic music playing website), and last year it was available throughout the fast food hungry countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

I find it a bit strange that California didn’t get to experience the California Whopper before the Scandanavians did. I’m not one for conspiracies, but it’s as if the United States-based Burger King, wanted to knock Sweden and Denmark out of the Top 10 World’s Healthiest Countries so that the United States, which is the 11th healthiest country in the world, can sneak into the top ten.

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

But, of course, a conspiracy to get the United States to move into the top 10 healthiest countries in the world can’t be true. Besides, the Burger King California Whopper is now available to all Americans, so just like a person who ate a large-sized Burger King Whopper value meal, the United States won’t be moving anywhere anytime soon.

To make a California Whopper, Burger King takes their regular Whopper; leaves out the ketchup, pickles, and onions; and replaces them with bacon, swiss cheese, and guacamole. The green Mexican dip made from avocados is the only ingredient that allows this burger to be called the California Whopper.

At first, I thought it’s called the California Whopper because guacamole is Mexican and there are a lot of Mexicans in California. But then I realized that might be a little racist. Thankfully, I found out California produces 95 percent of the country’s avocados and Fallbrook, California claims itself to be the “Avocado Capital of the World.” So the avocados in the guacamole is the reason why it’s called the California Whopper.

Burger King California Whopper Innards

As for the amount of guacamole in the California Whopper, there’s a lot of it. So much so that if Ghostbusters 3 ever comes to fruition, Burger King should do a movie tie-in using the California Whopper, but renaming it to the Ecto Whopper, because with the amount of guacamole it has, it looks like it’s been slimed. But despite it oozing guacamole everywhere, its flavor is subdued enough that, at times, it’s almost like I’m eating a regular Whopper.

Taco Bell makes a better tasting guacamole.

Shit. I never thought I’d type that sentence above EVER.

That’s how little I think of Burger King’s guacamole. When one makes a guacamole that’s worse than Taco Bell’s, they should be running towards the border and past it…so that they can learn how to make a better guacamole. Perhaps add some onion flavor. Or a little more salt. Or a little bit of spice.

I sound upset, because I am upset. I really wanted to love this burger, because I love guacamole. I wanted to get fat from this burger. I wanted my doctor to tell me I should stop eating them. I wanted it to be my only source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, along with saturated and trans fats.

Not even the other ingredients in the burger help. The swiss cheese doesn’t add anything. And the bacon is typical fast food bacon that, despite being called “crispy” in every promo, is never crispy and hardly brings any flavor. I really wish fast food companies would tinker with their bacon instead of their french fries.

Look, I know I just used the last 265 words to rant about the Burger King California Whopper, but I sort of liked it whenever I could taste a little guacamole. Do I feel like it could’ve been better? Oh, hell yes! But I also realize my expectations for it (Whopper = YUM! Guacamole = YUM! Whopper + Guacamole = YUM! YUM!) were probably too high and that I shouldn’t expect Burger King to make a burger that moves me as much as the San Andreas Fault moves California.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 California Whopper – 820 calories, 500 calories from fat, 56 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 110 milligrams of cholesterol, 1400 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 38 grams of protein.)

Other California Whopper reviews:
Tampa Bay Food Monster
Grub Grade
Fat Guy Food Blog

Item: Burger King California Whopper
Price: $5.99 (sandwich only)
Size: 1 sandwich
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: I kind of liked it, but it could’ve been so much better. Smooth guacamole. Lots of guacamole. Flame-broiled patties. Avocados are a great source for poly- and monounsaturated fats. U-S-A!
Cons: Guacamole needed more flavor. Bacon was useless. Cheese was useless. Pricey for just the sandwich. Not being able to watch Ghostbusters 3. There’s a guacamole worse than Taco Bell’s. Saturated and trans fats negating the poly- and monounsaturated fats.

16 thoughts to “REVIEW: Burger King California Whopper”

  1. That sucks that the burger…sucked. I love guacamole, and, having lived in SoCal for 22 years with a grandmother who had an avocado tree in her backyard, I’m a total avocado/guacamole snob. But hey, it’s fast food.

    It’s sad that I feel I can justify something sucking because “hey, it’s fast food”.

  2. I am reviewing blogs via Technorati’s database for a project and found yours… HiLARious.
    I love your writing style. Looking forward to seeing heaps more from you.

  3. I guess any industrially produced guacamole will never taste as good as the homeade kind. The ingredients do sound good, too bad they weren’t good in combination.

  4. $5.99 for a burger with a tiny 1/4 pound patty???? The $4.99 Carl’s Jr Guacamole-bacon “Six Dollar Burger” gives you more meat and a better overall burger.

  5. I think they’re pretty good. Got one for $3 today (in California). Saturated fat doesn’t negate the other fats. Your body works best when it gets good amounts of all three.

  6. Yeah, the California Whopper is kind of awful, even when it’s made correctly. There seems to be some sort of fundamental communication problem with their training memos on Whopper variations, as a lot of franchises plop ketchup, pickles, and onions on every single version no matter what. And then mayo makes a surprise guest appearance now and then.

  7. Is the guacamole even made with real avocados? I’ve heard most stuff is made with avocado powder (doesn’t sound very yummy)… Think I’ll just get a whopper, put my own bacon on it that’s actually crispy, and buy a little Wholly Guacamole (or make my own) instead of bothering with the CA whopper…

  8. I think a better name would be the “California Wiper” Who wants that gross green stuff anyway? If you’re a carnivore you don’t need it. If you’re even moderately health concious BK’s offering is a joke!

    1. In guacamole’s defense, if done correctly, it is delicious. I also like your juxtaposition between being a carnivore and mentioning being health-conscious.

  9. I shoulda listened to this review. I just read it for the first time on Friday, then two days later (today) I hit up BK and what are they selling? Sure, I had to try it.

    It was pretty bad. Just a slimy, gooey mess. BK needs to get rid of this sad piece of nasty and bring back my Angry Whopper.

  10. Tried the Cali whopper in Moulton Al….tastes like stripped whopper w/creamed chalk dressing …

  11. I tried it and wasn’t impressed. And it’s definitely not worth the money. I tried the CA Whopper Jr in a small combo meal and it was about $7. Just not worth the money or the buzz.

  12. My husband, two friends and I tried this burger at a BK in North Jersey and got food poisoning for 3 days…. 3 days! 2 other friends had regular burgers and were fine. Maybe they need to teach employees to refrigerate the guac in between servings. …3 DAYS sick!!!!

  13. One of the things I like about Subway, at least the one near me (yes, in California) is it almost always has fresh avocado available as an extra-price option for its sandwiches (and I almost always get it when it’s available).

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